About
Goldfish Swim School in Arlington Heights, located at 63 W Rand Rd, offers a unique learn-to-swim experience for children of all ages, from infants to 12 years old, in a safe, fun, and shiver-free environment. Known for its small class sizes (4:1 student-to-teacher ratio), proprietary curriculum, and engaging teaching methods, the school focuses on building confidence and essential water safety skills. Amenities often include private changing rooms, hair drying stations, and a retail area.
Goldfish Swim School locations typically maintain their pools at a comfortable 90 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 32 degrees Celsius). This warm temperature is ideal for young swimmers, ensuring a shiver-free and enjoyable experience for children learning to swim.
What are people saying (AI review summary)? Reviews for Goldfish Swim School are highly mixed. Some parents express strong satisfaction, praising dedicated instructors like Ms. Bella and noting significant progress in their children's swimming abilities, even from initial apprehension to proficiency in various strokes. However, a considerable number of negative reviews highlight concerns about the effectiveness of the lessons, with children reportedly learning very little or nothing over a year. Criticisms include a perceived lack of proper teaching techniques, oversized classes leading to minimal individual attention, and instructors appearing detached. Several reviewers suggest the school focuses more on marketing and profit than on genuine swimming instruction. Furthermore, serious issues were reported regarding pool conditions, specifically unexpected frigid temperatures on multiple occasions, leading to children being pulled from lessons due to shivering and subsequent billing disputes despite parents not being warned of known problems.
Location
Gallery
Amenities
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Accepts Credit Cards
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Accessible Entrance
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Accessible Restroom
Reviews
Listing Reviews
March 15th, 2025Georgiana Tica
In September 2024, I enrolled my three children in GoldenFish. Initially, they were apprehensive when the water entered their eyes. However, after seven months of training, they have developed proficiency in swimming, underwater movements, and swimming on their backs. I extend my sincere gratitude to all the instructors for their dedication and expertise. Thank you
September 14th, 2025Tom P
The swim classes did not utilize any known technique for getting children used to and safe in the water. There was almost no instruction whatsoever other than to carry children from the edge of the pool to a box in the middle of the pool and then back again. On occasion, they would get their face wet for a moment. A waste of money. Signed - Sad Grandfather
May 5th, 2025Nupur Singh
I am very happy with Goldfish. Ms. Bella is so amazing with my child. Thank you so much for the incredible care and patience you all have shown during my child’s swimming lessons. He is still learning and really enjoy going there every time.
June 22nd, 2023Madan Kundu
My son was 5 and he did not learn anything after spending over a year. Group lessons are of 25 minutes, over-sized class - 6 student, small lanes - so if you calculate each student gets no more than 4-5 minutes. Instructors are very detached from students - I don't blame them though because I think they might be overworked. More interested in making money than teaching kids swimming. Very good at marketing - for example, free candys, free chocolate, free story book with pencil, blackboard - everything is there not related to swimming. I hope they have put fraction of their honest interest in teaching kids. When I discontinued my son's lesson with Goldfish swim school, he was demotivated of swimming. My son now with Big Blue swim school, and he has already swimming without support after a year.
April 28th, 2025Ashley Bos
They talk about how they always keep their pool temperature so warm. However, our kids were subjected to frigid pool temps on three occasions. They were so cold I had to pull all out of the pool within 10 minutes of starting lessons due to the shivering they were experiencing. Enough was enough so I canceled. Now I’m being told it was a known issue but parents and swimmers were not told of it prior to entering the pool. They are still charging me for the coming month despite freezing my kids without proper warning of a known issue. Beware of their contracts and know they hide issues letting your kids be the ones to have to freeze.
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Opening Hours
| Sunday | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 3:00 – 8:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM – 8:30 PM |
| Friday | 3:00 – 8:00 PM |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
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